Email is both cost-effective and easily accessible, making it an excellent choice for businesses that want to convert prospects to sales. But because the playing field is leveled, it also makes it one of the most competitive types of marketing you can use. If you’re not having much luck with your campaigns, it might be because you’re getting lost in the crowd. Strategic Growth Advisors is here to give a few tips to help you stand out.

The Basics of Email

At every step of the way, there should be some degree of a strategy employed. Email marketing begins with what address you’re sending from. (In other words, what appears in the ‘From’ section of your email.) If you have a recognizable, trustworthy name, it can make for a good first impression.

From there, it comes down to what message you want to convey to your reader. For instance, some companies prefer to send emails from an individual’s name rather than from a corporate name. This can personalize the email and make the recipient feel like someone is reaching out to them specifically. Whatever you settle on, make sure you’re using a dedicated email ID so there’s no confusion.

When you’re crafting a subject line, the goal is to make it eye-catching for the recipient. This could involve using keywords for some companies, essentially telling the person exactly what they’ll get if they click on the email.

Other companies might approach from a mystery angle, though, enticing a prospect by creating a bit of intrigue. For instance, telling the customer about a special promo code created just for them. As with your ‘from’ name, you can choose to personalize the subject line by including the person’s first name somewhere in the subject code.

Content Is (Still) King for Conversions

Content remains a key factor for turning your prospects into sales. Here are several things to consider when planning the content for conversions:

  1. Showcase your brand: Is the company fun and fresh? Practical? A little of both? Whatever your brand is, you’ll want to show it off in every one of your emails.
  2. Single topic: It can be exciting to update a recipient on all the new things you’re doing, but you’re better off keeping it simple.
  3. Design time: Giving your email a distinctive and interesting look can mesmerize your customer’s attention and help your message ‘stick.’

Remember that the reader won’t have all day to look at your email, so you should ideally cut straight to the chase. What can you offer them and why should they care? Graphics, colors, and clever wording can certainly help, but the idea is to make them decorative components only.

Segmented Lists

Segmented email lists can be a game-changer for your email conversion rates because they take into account who exactly is reading the email. The major trend in marketing is to have a 1:1 experience. In other words, the email is more like a friend is updating you than a company.

For instance, let’s say you’re a retailer who markets toys to both children and collectors. If you were going to email a parent of a 10-year-old, they would be looking for very different information than a childless adult who wants to find a final toy to complete a set.

You can use automated tools where you can create your own rules for each campaign. For instance, a B2B company might segment its lists based on the size of the business. This way, a small business owner isn’t being asked to spend their entire supply budget on a piece of expensive equipment.

Other segmentation categories include:

  1. Source of lead: Has your lead come from a referral? A website? A social media post? Tailoring your email based on where the person found you can be a surprisingly effective way to connect with them.
  2. Location: Where a person lives can have a lot to do with what they need and how they feel about your email. From geographical factors (e.g. coastal, inland, etc.) to lifestyle preferences, you can give recipients more by taking into account their individual needs.
  3. Funnel: A customer who is three steps into the buying process will need something very different than someone who’s never heard of your company. Before you make assumptions, segmenting based on the sales funnel can help you find the sweet spot no matter who you’re talking to.

Measure Your Metrics

Your email campaigns won’t get any better unless you measure the qualified leads and revenue per email. How many people are signing up for premium services? Which segments are ignoring your messages? A well-designed campaign will keep track of how many emails are sent, what kind of response you’re getting, and whether that response has your desired distribution.

When you have a targeted ROI, and you can measure the reality against the objective. This makes it easier to understand what’s possible based on everything from your segments to your position in the market.

When you’re studying your metrics, keep in mind that an email campaign isn’t necessarily a failure if you don’t hit your total goals. Some businesses may start with unrealistic expectations. The best thing that you can do is work to improve each new attempt, watch the feedback, and then adjust when needed.

Strategic Growth Partners on Conversion

StratGrow has seen plenty of businesses fall flat on their campaigns, and not necessarily from a lack of effort. The communication might be picture-perfect, but the packaging may need to change in some way. Sometimes it’s as simple as tweaking the automation features of each campaign to boost the response. For instance, adding a new segment to reach that 1:1 marketing that every company strives for. If you want to increase your conversion rates by email, we’re here to help. Contact us today to learn more about what it means to excel at email.

our recent blogs

We don’t just want to build you a custom Growth Strategy, we want to give you resources for the everyday. Read our blog for fresh ideas and insights on business growth and development.

Benefits of Hiring a Marketing Agency (And 7 Things to Look for in One)

Staying on top of your company's digital marketing can be challenging. From managing your social media presence to optimizing your search engine rankings,...

Leamon Crooms November 5th, 2021

Naming SEO Images & Social Media Marketing Images: Best Practices

When it comes to your brand's social media marketing and search engine optimization, you might not think that the images you upload...

Leamon Crooms October 29th, 2021